Molybdocene dihydride explained

Molybdocene dihydride is the organomolybdenum compound with the formula (η⁵-C₅H₅)₂MoH₂. Commonly abbreviated as Cp₂MoH₂, it is a yellow air-sensitive solid that dissolves in some organic solvents.

The compound is prepared by combining molybdenum pentachloride, sodium cyclopentadienide, and sodium borohydride.^{[1] [2]} The dihydride converts to molybdocene dichloride upon treatment with chloroform.

The compound adopts a "clamshell" structure where the Cp rings are not parallel.^[3]

Notes and References

1. Book: Silavwe . Ned D. . Inorganic Syntheses . Castellani . Michael P. . Tyler . David R. . 1992 . Bis(η5-Cyclopentadienyl)Molybdenum(IV) Complexes . 29 . 204–211 . 10.1002/9780470132609.ch50 . 9780470132609 .
2. The Di-π-cyclopentadienyl Hydrides of Tantalum, Molybdenum, and Tungsten. Green, M. L. H. . McCleverty, J. A. . Pratt, L. . Wilkinson, G. . Journal of the Chemical Society. 1961. 4854–9. 10.1039/JR9610004854.
3. K. Prout, T. S. Cameron, R. A. Forder, and in parts S. R. Critchley, B. Denton and G. V. Rees "The crystal and molecular structures of bent bis-π-cyclopentadienyl-metal complexes: (a) bis-π-cyclopentadienyldibromorhenium(V) tetrafluoroborate, (b) bis-π-cyclopentadienyldichloromolybdenum(IV), (c) bis-π-cyclopentadienylhydroxomethylaminomolybdenum(IV) hexafluorophosphate, (d) bis-π-cyclopentadienylethylchloromolybdenum(IV), (e) bis-π-cyclopentadienyldichloroniobium(IV), (f) bis-π-cyclopentadienyldichloromolybdenum(V) tetrafluoroborate, (g) μ-oxo-bis[bis-π-cyclopentadienylchloroniobium(IV)] tetrafluoroborate, (h) bis-π-cyclopentadienyldichlorozirconium" Acta Crystallogr. 1974, volume B30, pp. 2290–2304.